Ingrid Ricks

Are you harnessing your adversity or is it harnessing you?

Devastated by her sudden inability to see her family’s faces or maneuver the world around her, recently blinded NYT bestselling memoir author and personal storytelling coach Ingrid Ricks realized she had a choice: she could wallow in her grief, loss, fear and despair, or harness her adversity and channel it into something powerful. In this inspirational, action-provoking talk, Ricks takes audiences on her journey from darkness to light. She shares her struggles and the steps she continues to take to flip her adversity on its head and turn it into an asset. Along with detailing the mindset-changing tools she employs every day, Ricks challenges audiences to take a close look at the struggles in their own lives and ensure that they are doing what it takes to turn their adversity into a strength.

Duration: 60 to 90 minutes

Despite a fifteen year fight to save her eyesight, NYT bestselling memoir author and storytelling coach Ingrid Ricks recently lost her vision to a rare blinding eye disease. Thats when she discovered that the pain and challenges associated with her vision loss were just the beginning of her struggles. In this powerful, discussion-igniting talk, Ricks uses her own story to shine the spotlight on the devastating impact institutionalized prejudices have on people struggling with challenges shoved under the disabilities label. In her quest to fundamentally change harmful perceptions, attitudes and workplace policies, Ricks reminds audiences that they all face challenges in their lives, and that the answer is to help each other and come together, not isolate and divide.

Duration: 60 to 90 minutes